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Exhibits
Lines of Laughter: The Humor of Jeff MacNelly
September 2024 — The Emerson College Archives & Special Collections is happy to announce our new exhibit, which focuses on the career of Jeff MacNelly (1947–2000). MacNelly was a cartoonist who received international recognition for his innovative work. He is well-known for his political cartoons, for which he received three Pulitzer prizes, through which he confronted and satirized issues he found on both sides of the isle. His panel comic Pluggers brought humor to the struggles and challenges of everyday life, while his comic strip Shoe detailed the lives of the eccentric animal residents of the town Tree Tops.
The exhibit includes original giclée prints of MacNelly's cartoons and comics along with examples of his Shoe books. The exhibit is on display in the Iwasaki Library, which is located on the 3rd floor of the Walker building. If you have any questions about the exhibit, please contact the Archives staff at archives [at] emerson.edu (archives[at]emerson[dot]edu).
Dance Umbrella Exhibit: Experience the Unexpected
March 2020 — Emerson College alumnus Jeremy Alliger founded Dance Umbrella in 1980. During the next 20 years, the organization presented and promoted diverse dance performances that pushed boundaries, challenged perceptions, and extended their impact beyond the stage.
This exhibition — containing photographs, videos, artifacts, and memorabilia from the Emerson College Archives & Special Collections — celebrates the groundbreaking work of Jeremy Alliger and Dance Umbrella to enrich Boston’s cultural community.
The exhibit is located on the 4th floor of the Paramount Center (555 Washington Street). Members of the public may schedule a time to view the exhibit Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. by emailing archives [at] emerson.edu (archives[at]emerson[dot]edu).
Disrupting Mass Incarceration Exhibit: Six Decades of Emerson Prison Education
March 2020 — Between the early 1950s and late 1970s, faculty members Coleman Bender and Haig der Marderosian coached the debate teams at Emerson and the Norfolk Prison Colony. While the Emerson team achieved regional and national success, the Norfolk team gained an international reputation for their intelligence and persuasive arguments.
Beginning in 2017, the Emerson Prison Initiative (EPI) seeks to democratize access to tertiary education for those who have been historically marginalized or otherwise unable to attend college due to incarceration. EPI aims to offer courses that are as similar as possible to those taught at the Boston campus, an emphasis that follows from a philosophy that education is transformative in and of itself.
The exhibit focuses on both these trailblazing endeavors, and is located in the Iwasaki Library (Walker Building, 3rd Floor). It is open to all students, faculty, and staff, and the general public may view the exhibit by emailing reference [at] emerson.edu (reference[at]emerson[dot]edu).